There are many comparisons and differences between 20th and 21st century leadership. To analyze this concept fairly, one must consider the comparisons and differences between the organizational goals of now and then. A major difference is that 20th century management was largely autocratic, meaning that the decision making that took place in an organization was dictated by one person or a small group of people (Yates, 2017). This can be seen when considering Henry Ford and his authoritarian control over the Ford Motor Company and its workers.
Management in the 21st century is not as autocratic and allows for much more flexibility and employee involvement so as to keep turnover low. 21st century leadership styles focus more so on collaboration as well. Autocratic leadership styles of the 20th century involved little to no input from the employees on the floor when it came to organizational decision making. 21st century leaders engage their employees more and lead from inspiration rather than rigid direction. While there are some differences, there are also many comparisons as well.
The main comparison lies in the role that management still holds in business. Therefore, in comparison it still holds that the management deals with staffing, controlling, organizing, coordinating, and planning the activities of the organization.
A school of thought that I believe correlates to today's management styles stems from the Human Resource Theory school of thought. Today's management places a special emphasis on human capital and believes that the needs of the worker supercede that of the organization.
Placing such emphasis oh human capital is what allows today's companies to retain talent and prosper.